Location

The town of Rakovski is situated in the western area of the Upper Thracian Valley, 25 km. northeast from the city of Plovdiv. The town of Rakovski is the center of a municipality composed by 6 settlements – Belozem, Stryama, Tchalakovi, Shishmantzi, Boliarino and Momino Selo. The town was founded in 1966 and resulted from the unification of three villages – General Nikolaevo, Sekirovo and Parchevich.  The municipality of Rakovski has its borders to the north and northeast with the municipality of Brezovo, to the east with the municipality of Bratya Daskalovi, to the south with the municipality of Sadovo, and to the west with the municipalities of Maritza and Kaloyanovo. The overall area occupied by the municipality of Rakovski stands at 264 square kilometers, which is 4.4% of the total area of the district. The only town in the municipality – the town of Rakovski, spreads on an area of 550 hectares.
The municipality of Rakovski has an important location as to road and transportation situation. Its territory is crossed by Trakia Motorway and the railway highway route № 8: East – West /Sofia – Plovdiv – Bourgas/, which establishes the connection between the Black Sea and West Europe. Another important road passing through the territory of the municipality is the road Plovdiv- Rakovski – Brezovo – Shipka, which links the area with North Bulgaria. The territory of the village of Stryama is also crossed by the south ring of the highway gas pipeline with the capacity of 15 000 m3 per hour.

History

The first signs of human civilization on the territory of the municipality of Rakovski date back to the copper-stone era. That was the time when the first settlement was established on the territory of today’s village of Sekirovo. At 2 km. southeast of the town ruins and a Roman road are found. Archeologists still find today consecrated plates dedicated to the Thracian god Heros and lots of silver coins from the II and III century.
The town of Rakovski was founded by Bulgarians called "Pavlikyani", migrants from the southeast regions of Byzantium, representatives of a heretic movement (Pavlikyani) one of the most important in the Middle Ages. In the XVII century they adopted Catholicism.

Religion

The main religious belief of the population of the town of Rakovski is Catholicism – 56.4 %. Four catholic temples and five orthodox churches were built on the territory of Rakovski and the other settlements of the municipality. There are also the women monastery “The Benedictine Sisters” and the male monastery “Saint Maximilian Kolbe”, which are also functioning today.
The Catholic Temple "The Saint Heart of Jesus" in Rakovski is the second biggest on the Balkans after the Zagreb cathedral. It was built after the Chirpan earthquake, which ruined the old catholic church.

Culture

The municipality of Rakovski hosts numerous cultural events and performances with large participation on behalf of the local population. There are 8 functioning community centers in the municipality – “Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodiy” the town of Rakovski, “P. B. Bakashev” the town of Rakovski, “Prosveta” the village of Belozem, “Hristo Botev” the village of Stryama, “Hristo Botev” the village of Tchalakovi, “Hristo Botev” the village of Shishmantzi, “P. Mandadjiev” the village of Momino Selo, “Hristo Botev” the village of Bolyarino, which carry out many activities related with reading and library activities, folklore and amateur dance and singing art, while they also function as key centers of spiritual and cultural life.
The community center “Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodiy” carries out its activity thanks to the support of donors’ organizations and projects it won. In 2003 the community center applied for financing under the project “Community Centers”, which resulted in the establishment of a consultancy and education center for people with disabilities.
The community also participated in a project for experience exchange in the field of library and reading activities, financed by the American Department. Since 2006 the community center has been participating in a project of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Bologna University entitled “Tourism School” and the project “Cultural tourism and inter-cultural environment”. The community center is also co-organizer and participates in carrying out the International Festival of Kukueri and Masquerade Games called “Kukove”, which has annual editions. The municipality of Rakovski is member of the Federation of European Carnival Cities.

Traditions and Customs

The International Festival of Kukueri and Masquerade Games called “Kukove” takes plans every year and is the most important and large-scope cultural event in the region. It encompasses more than 2000 participants and performers from all over Bulgaria and various European countries – Serbia, Greece, Macedonia, Romania and Ireland.
Another important tradition for the municipality is the annual holiday of wine “Vinaria – Trifon Zarezan”. In the village of Belozem, Rakovski municipality, the “Festival of the White Stork” has also turned into a tradition. The festival takes place in the beginning of May. In 2005 Belozem was officially declared “European village of the White Stork” by the Foundation for European Natural Heritage (EURONATUR) – Germany.
The municipality of Rakovski is a member of the Federation of the European Carnival Cities (FECC), seated in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Every last week of the month the village Belozem hosts an International Christian Youth Festival. The Festival includes participants from Bulgaria, Poland, Italy, Canada and USA.

Sport

Since 2002 the town of Rakovski hosts the International Football Tournament for Children “United by Football”. The event is organized by the municipality of Rakovski, Professional Football League, the parish “The Saint Heart of Jesus”, the parish “Saint Archangel Michael”, and the monastery “Saint Maximilian Kolbe”. The tournament has so far included participants from Poland, Croatia, Italy, Malta, Romania, Spain, Turkey, England, Republic of Macedonia and Germany. In Bulgaria, besides the hosting team, among the participants have also been “Levski”, “Litex” Lovech, “Locomotive” Plovdiv, “Botev” Plovdiv, “Assenovetz” Assenovgrad, “Naftex” Bourgas, “Chernomoretz” Bourgas, “Cherno More” Varna, “Vidima Rakovski” etc. The local football club “FC Rakovski” participates in Republican championships for children and youth tournaments and also plays abroad – 2002 in Italy and Germany, 2003 – in Italy and Malta, 2004 in Italy, 2006 and 2007 in Italy. The club also hosted teams from Germany and Japan, which came to Bulgaria for friend-games and trainings. There are also four amateur teams in the municipality, which play in the football groups in Plovdiv district.

Economics

Agriculture in Rakovski is highly developed and it is a sector outlining the household economy for most of the local population. Production is concentrated in cereal and corn crops, technical crops, fruit and vegetables, pig and cattle breeding. The main form of property in the agrarian sector is the private property.

Industry is also crucial for the structure of economy in the municipality. It is defined by its sub-sectors chemical industry, light industry, alimentary industry, tailoring industry and wood industry. Tailoring industry opens jobs for considerable part of the population able to work.

Industrial zone Rakovski: Industrial zone Rakovski is the first industrial zone in Bulgaria, offering excellent conditions for establishing of production capacities. It launched in July 2004. The main concept of establishing the industrial zone lies in attracting investors and offering conditions for immediate launch of production capacities. The goal is to eliminate the bureaucratic obstacles and to shorten the time wasted in administrative procedures. The industrial zone offers land with amended statute, ready for industrial construction after all necessary basic authorization documents for construction activities were already issued. The zone also offers service related with the construction of industrial market halls according to the investor’s specifications and within shorter terms, as well as construction of industrial buildings at leasing scheme with bank financing, contracted by the building company.
Industrial zone Rakovski is located on the lands belonging to the village of Stryama on the area of 201.4 acres, at about 14 km from the district city of Plovdiv and at 8 km from Trakia Motorway.
The zone disposes of the necessary infrastructure – electricity supply 20 kV, water supply, drain system, optic communications and asphalt roads. The territory of the village of Stryama is also crossed by the south ring of the highway gas pipeline with the capacity of 15 000 m3 per hour. The route is located in immediate proximity to the territory of the Industrial zone Rakovski. The project is a public-private initiative, supported by the local authorities, the Bulgarian Investment Agency and the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
The municipality of Rakovski is a region with tax privileges – according to art. 61 of the Law for Corporate Income Taxation, 100% remission of the corporate tax for persons performing production activity in regions with high unemployment rates.

Source and pictures: http://www.rakovski.bg/for_us_en.php